


And a Side of Homemade Mash

by Braces2BandTees



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: A Bit of Fluff, Established Relationship, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Minor Eleanor Calder/Louis Tomlinson, My First Fanfic, OFC is minor, One Shot, larry stylinson - Freeform, really it's only mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-29 10:24:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3892867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braces2BandTees/pseuds/Braces2BandTees
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her jaw dropped. “Are you telling me you didn’t clear that with anyone?” her voice sounding slightly hysterical made Harry shift awkwardly, rocking side to side.</p><p>“Well, no but it’s not that big a deal, I mean it’ll likely get cut entirely or edited to make it look like something else. I’m under no delusion that it will go out how I intended it to but I’m still hopeful I guess.” His slight smile dropped when he looked back at her. She seemed to be going a bit green.</p><p>“You were informed, I mean you were told, I was standing right there. I heard him tell you it was a live stream.”..........</p><p>Or, Harry takes an opening and gives away a little more than anyone saw coming but it's fine, really it's totally fine, he's totally fine. </p><p>Or, when Larry is revealed I hope it possibly goes something like…</p>
            </blockquote>





	And a Side of Homemade Mash

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've ever finished. It's a one shot and it feels a bit rushed tbh but I really just wanted to get it out there. 
> 
> I read through it a couple times but it's unbetaed so there are bound to be mistakes. Let me know when you find some and I'll fix 'em.
> 
> If you have, comments or improvements please let me know, I really appreciate constructive criticism.

Harry has been sitting on the uncomfortable sofa for the better part of the day and he really just wants out of the stuffy room. He really hates doing these promos alone, no one around to field some of the heat, no one he’s truly comfortable with, no one he can lean on and just be more himself. But also because he gets different questions when he’s alone, when he’s the only one to focus on, when he’s Harry Styles and not just another of the lads. The interviewers feel a little more in control and that seems to make them a lot more forward. Harry swears if he gets asked one more time about his ideal girl he's gonna flat out tell them his ideal person is a funny, sarcastic little shit, but only to cover up a big heart, also having a dick to fuck him with is really gonna have to be a requirement, not that he’s strictly a bottom _wink, wink nudge, nudge._ Just imagining the looks on people’s faces has him grinning. Shaking off the dour mood. He reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone.

Thumbing over the screen, he sees he’s missed fifteen calls and twenty texts. Five of the calls and ten of the texts are from Louis, that alone has Harry’s hand shaking slightly in apprehension. Lou had a temper and while Harry was almost never on the receiving end of the glacial abyss that is Louis Tomlinson when he’s well and truly pissed, the very good impression he gave of a volcano blowing its top when he was riled up, got Louis into trouble sometimes. 

Lou hadn’t left any voice messages so Harry went to open his text app. He barely registers the texts from the other boys in their group chat and a single one from Management. Ignoring the others, Harry opens his and Louis private chat and bites down hard on his lip. The distinct lack of emojis tells him Louis is in a foul mood and that’s before he’s even read what his has to say. 

The first five are in all caps and don’t make much sense to Harry. Something about how dare they think they can get away with it and who do they think they are the Queen and they can’t tell him what to do. Sometimes Lou forgets Harry isn’t with him all the time and so has no idea what Louis is talking about. Sometimes it makes Harry grin like a loon remembering the argument they had about it, Harry accusing Louis of not paying attention, not realizing Harry isn’t a mind reader and doesn’t always know when things happened. And Louis yelling in Harry’s face that it’s not his fucking fault he can’t stop thinking about Harry, that he can’t help always turning to tell Harry something even when he’s not there and that when he realizes Harry isn’t, it hurts so he pretends, he imagines what he’d say to Harry if he were, it’s not his fault that he misses Harry when he’s not with him so much that he fakes it just to make it hurt a little less. And if Harry had pushed Louis against the wall and snogged him until they were panting into each other’s mouth, no one else has to know about it. If that had been in the X Factor house and had been their first kiss, well no one needs to know about that either. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he continues reading frowning as he goes. 

LouBear<3<3: Haz, I just can’t do it again. It was bad enough the first time.

LouBear<3<3: I’m not saying El isn’t great and in the end I’m glad she turned out to be a good friend but how likely is it that would happen again

LouBear<3<3: Slim chance, really

LouBear<3<3: I wouldn’t want to even if she was Miss Universe and longed for nothing but world peace

LouBear<3<3: This is such shit Hazza

Harry could feel himself vibrating with too much emotion. He didn’t know whether to be mad or hurt or scared or…he just didn’t know and as he went to try to come up with a suitable reply, the screen showed Louis was typing, closing his eyes trying to calm himself down he didn’t immediately realize Louis text had come through.

LouBear<3<3: You should sign up for the next Miss Universe pageant Haz you’d look stunning in the bath suit competition and you already only want world peace…and my dick ;)

He snorted before he realized one of the assistants had brought over his next interviewer and had been talking to him. He nodded and thanked the assistant assuming it was more of the same it had been all day. “There’ll be four more after this.” “Try to speak into the microphone more.” Pocketing his phone, he plastered on his interview smile and reached out to shake the woman’s hand. She seemed nice enough but he supposed that was part of the job, if you looked too invasive right off you’d never get to the juicy bits. Ha, juicy bits. Still, she looked pretty in that unremarkable way. She would blend into a crowd. One look at her sharp eyes and the slight twist to her mouth and Harry knew it was by design. He couldn’t deny a certain ebb of respect at her ability to fake “regular” better than most people could capitalize on uniqueness. 

Settling in, he mumbled niceties while he waited for her to start. The first few questions inevitably were about the album, he wished _all_ the questions could be about the album, considering that was what the promo was for, honestly who cared what brand of _sheets_ he owned? When she moved to the more personal questions, the more pointed ones, he had to admit she delivered them in a way to be the least invasive and while she may just be an amazing actress, she seemed to care not a whit about his answers, perhaps because she seemed the type to do her homework and he’s already answered all these questions a thousand times over. When she looked down at her cards for the next question, she grimaced slightly before taking a breath and asking,

“What was your most favorite date ever?”

Harry had his standard answer at the ready, never one to cop to picking favorites it was always something along the lines of “they’ve all been great for different reasons. Can’t really compare them really.” Instead, he found himself pausing, contemplating his response. He thought back to the texts Louis had sent. It was obvious Management wanted to try to replace Eleanor and while he didn’t necessarily _hate_ El, he would never be able to look at her without remembering how broken he felt every time he saw her standing beside Louis, holding Louis’ hand, kissing Louis in the stands of a sporting event, doing all the things Harry wanted to do himself. He didn’t know if he could go through that again. He would because his relationship with Louis was worth everything, including his sanity, but he was scared it would break something in them, in HarryandLouis, to have to go through that all over again. He wasn’t positive they could survive that damage. That was what had him making the decision. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at the interviewer realizing it had only been taken a few seconds for him to decide to change the narrative of his life in fundamental and profound ways. Well, at least for this moment, when this got edited down to the thirty-second feature it would be cut “for necessity sake.”

“Most favorite date ever, hmm well, made me dinner, proper romantic. And while I always appreciate a good home cooked meal, it was their first time cooking. I still remember feeling so humbled by it all. Tried something new, tried something that could go horribly wrong. The vulnerability in that alone made it awing but then to top it off the food was amazing.” Harry could tell she really had done her homework, the gleam in her eyes told him she knew exactly what he was referring to. Her follow up question only proved it.

“Oh, that sounds quite lovely. What pray tell did she make?” 

“Never said it was a she, love.” He replied with a wink. “Wouldn’t want to spoil it but I’ve always had a deep love for homemade mash.”

The interviewer was grinning by now. Nodding, “Completely understand, I’m partial to chicken dishes myself,” she began, pausing just long enough to be sure Harry’s wide grin, dimples prominent, could be captured, she continued asking other mundane questions. Before long, the interview was over. She stood up and leaned over to shake his hand again, as the same assistant came over to announce the interview day was over and Harry could leave. 

Turning back to the interviewer and taking in the almost manic grin on her face, he shook her hand, a little bewildered. 

“I’ll be out of your hair right quick, I just wanted to say, thank you. Not for the scoop but just in general, thank you. I don’t know if you know how much it will mean to people. To a lot of people, it will mean the world,” he could see tears swimming in her eyes.

Gripping her hand a bit harder to keep her in front of him, he stood up before answering. “We do know. Really, we do, I’m just sorry we can’t do more. But really, thank you for playing along. You gave it just the right push and I appreciate it. I- Thank you for not pushing for more than I could give, too.”

“Sometimes we need to know it’s a struggle. That it’s not just easy for everyone because for some of us it isn’t. I’m not just talking about sexuality. But I think it’s something that is sort of missing from the narrative. I mean sometimes I feel like it gets brushed aside. It’s not- wow, I’m really sorry. I’m completely out of line here and this is probably inappropriate. I just- I’m sorry,” she finished on a loud exhale. 

“It’s ok, love. I understand what you mean and I applaud your passion. Thank you for making this a positive thing.”

“Only a dickhead would try to drag this moment in the mud. How did you know I was gonna ask about it anyway?”

“Ask what?” 

“The date question. I mean how did you know to plan for it, like, that one doesn’t usually get broadcast if it’s asked all that often.” 

“Oh, yeah, um, I didn’t?” he replied biting his lip. “I guess I just- I just needed to finally say it I think. It was spur of the moment really.”

Her jaw dropped. “Are you telling me you didn’t clear that with anyone?” her voice sounding slightly hysterical made Harry shift awkwardly, rocking side to side.

“Well, no but it’s not that big a deal, I mean it’ll likely get cut entirely or edited to make it look like something else. I’m under no delusion that it will go out how I intended it but I’m still hopeful, I guess.” His slight smile dropped when he caught the look on her face. She seemed to be going a bit green.

“You were informed, I mean you were told, I was standing right there. I heard him tell you it was a live stream.”

The words live stream bounced around his head so hard he was feeling dizzy and that only made him feel queasy.

“Fuck. I’m gonna be in such deep shit.” He said gravely, closing his eyes tight hoping this was all a dream and he’d wake any second with Louis curled around him.

“Do you regret it then?” The thinly veiled disapproval in her voice brought him up short.

Did he? Did he regret it? He had done it thinking it would never really air. Like so many of the offhand comments he made that mysteriously disappeared. But did he regret this? No, not really he couldn’t say he regretted it one bit. That was when he heard the door slam open

“Where the fuck is he? Styles, get your arse over here. Right now!” Louis’ voice carried through the room as he moved about glancing here and there, ignoring anyone that tried to stop him. The disgruntled assistants sounded flustered trying to contain Louis. Harry could sympathize so he stepped out from behind the backdrop blocking the couches used for the interviewing from the rest of the room. 

Immediately, Louis’ head swiveled to him eyes narrowed ominously. Just as suddenly, Louis’ attention was caught on something behind Harry and a grin broke out on his face. Pivoting he started walking towards Harry, when he stopped inches away from him, Harry was perplexed at still not having Louis’ full attention. He realized the interviewer, he really should have asked for her name, had followed him and seemed rooted to the spot she had taken up just behind him.

“You were brilliant, love. That was beautiful. Thank you for being one of the few that bothers to care about what you’re doing. I’m glad it was you I’m not sure it could have gone better if it had been planned.” Louis reached out to take the interviewers hand, “Thank you for not making it more than it needed to be and for not making it less than it is,” he finished sincerely.

“As I told Harry, I’m really the one who’s thankful. I appreciate the exclusive scoop and that it was done live so no editing but I appreciate the sentiment more. You guys are inspiration for millions and to witness it being used in an amazingly positive way is, what was it? Oh yeah, awing,” she finished with a smirk Harry could see even from his periphery. Harry turned slightly just to stick his tongue out at her good-naturedly. It had the effect of making her giggle and Louis turning to finally give Harry his full attention. It was daunting when Louis looked at you like you were the center of the universe, like there would never be anything more important that you and this moment in time. 

“As for you, Harry, I cannot believe you did that. I can’t believe you went and basically announced we’re dating or at least that we had a date. Homemade mash, really? Because it wasn’t obvious enough to begin with?” while his tone was harsh, unyielding even, the grin he couldn’t hide undermined his intent. 

Even though it was obvious they were rhetorical questions, Harry couldn’t stop himself from responding. “She’s the one that brought up the chicken. Just be glad I didn’t break out the moves and everything.” Already miming the well known stuffed chicken story. He was smiling so broadly by the time he was finished his cheeks actually hurt.

“Smug isn’t a good look for you, Styles.”

“Everything is a good look for me. You love me no matter what I look like.”

“Filthy lies. Who told you such things, Haz? Playing on your innocence and naivety, they were. I’m only in this for the trophy boyfriend. Pretty to look at, just not a whole lot going on behind the scenes, if you know what I mean.” Louis patted Harry’s shoulder consolingly.

“Heyyyyy!” Harry pouted.

“Pouting doesn’t look good on you either Hazza.” Louis quipped.

Still pouting, “Who cares you only want me for my looks anyway.” He couldn’t help that his lips were tilting up.

“Exactly, you’re prematurely wrinkling that porcelain skin, sweet cheeks.” Louis winked at him.

The interviewer, he really needed to get her name, shifting in Harry’s periphery was what made him freeze up, realizing there were other people in the room. Louis had implied they were boyfriends and, and-

He saw when it dawned on Louis as well. The fear that skittered across his face was gone as soon as it came. Suddenly, there was a determined gleam in his eyes. 

“Sorry love, but I don’t really care cause you make me strong,” he sing-songed before leaning up and kissing Harry deeply, tongue swiping at Harry’s lips. He never could tell Louis no, especially when it came to kissing him.

Breaking away, to drag in a breath, Harry leaned against Louis foreheads touching. “That’s not how the song goes, babe,” he says on a smile.

Louis’ responding smile is blinding. “That’s how it’s supposed to go. Together, they compliment each other. Like us, always.”

Harry couldn’t have stopped smiling if he wanted to. He was pretty sure he was about to test whether one could legitimately die of happiness. 

The pictures of them kissing in the interview room broke nearly a week later. Harry and Louis conspiring with Kim, Harry was proud of himself for remembering to ask the interviewer’s name considering the daze Louis’ kisses put him in, deciding she how she would spin it. Anonymous source and all that jazz. And if they “accidentally” kissed while they posed for a couple photos for her to take of them wrapped up in each other, than it was really their fault for not being more careful.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading Bebs!!!!!!!!!!!!! My love for you shines like a thousand suns, a million moons, and sprinkling of stars. 
> 
> Seriously, improvements, commentary, fixes I would appreciate it all. 
> 
> k I'll stop now but really you rock my world 
> 
> \- Niki


End file.
